The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-13
CHEsTNUFTY.

1t appears from THE HERALD's Wash
ington special this morning that Sen
ator Paddock has mounted the Utah
hobby and proposes to ride 1t in tie
interest of the political adventures who
have so long been trying to gel their
hands into the pockets of the Mermons
The Senator has introduced two bills,
the most important of which is one
providing for doing what Congress has
heretofore set its face firmly against
namely: the appointment Of county Of
ficers by the Governor. We cen imagine
that His Excellency himself has in
spired this, for it will be remembered
that he spent some of the Loyal
Leagues money in Washington last
winter, Juggling for the same
thing. 1t seems that the Governor
ambition is to get mis- clutches upon the
Territory IN such a manner that he can
rule as an autocrst, controlling every
Office and every official absolutely. Sen
Rtor Paddock, whose reputation ever has
been that of the thrifty political dema-
gogue, is q fit tool for this dirty work of
depriving the people of Utah of the few
rights Of local self-government left
them. However, THE HERALD is with
out apprehension that this bill will
succeed. We cannot believe that Con
gress can, be induced to sanction the
monstrous proposition to make
petty governor more of
an aUtocrat in an American
community than the Gear is in his own
dominions. Whenever the Infamous
scheme has been proposed in the past
it has been frowned upon by the press
of the country and by all of the better
element in Congress, and there IS less
likelihood to-day than ever before that
the plan will receive the sanction of the |
national legislature. The peace, the
quiet prevailing throughout the Terri |
tory, the manifest disposition on the |
part Of the people everywhere to pre-,
vent revival of the old and ugly order
of things, and the long continued |
absence of the excitements and dis
turbances which formerly characterized |
the community, present q most formId-
able opposition to the proposed unre-
publican and thieving scheme. We ap
prehend that Congressman will consider
that Mr.. Paddock is trying to work of
on them rank and musty chestnut.
As to the Senator's other bill, that
providing for the redivision of Salt
Lake into aldermanic and council dis
tricts, and the reappointment of the
members of the City Council, each dis
trict to elect its own representatives,
there would be little local objection, If
different board of apportiOnment were
provided for. The apportionment of
the Territory into Council and Repre-
sentative districts for members of the
Legislature last spring tells US what
might be expected as to Salt Lake City,
if the same board were to redistrict it.
In the former case, precincts were
taken from three or four cities, without
regard to geographical contIguity or
even to population, in order to defeat
the peoples will, and put Gentiles into
tbe Legisla; ure. Three-fourths of the
voters of Salt Lake are Mormons, and
yet the proposed board could, and
doubtless would, so gerrymander and
arrange the districts as to permit the
to elect three-fourths
Of the members of the municipal
council. II the districts were di-
vided according to the population .
regardless of the politics of the voters,
40 reasonable objection could be raised
to each electing its own alderman and
councillors.
But THE HERALD inclines to the belief
that all the anti-U tab legislation :
which can be wrung from Congress
this winter will not cause the enemies
OF this Territory to go into esstscies.
Every dog has his day, and all days
now are yesterdays with those who
have done so much against Utah.